Oil well pump



INVENTORS ATTO RN EY flnrw ltlllllllllllllllll OIL HELL PUMP Filed, larch 23, .1945

R. R. RENOUF ETAL l3 RALPH R. RENOUF BY FRANK E. MASON May 6, 194?.

Patented May 6, 1947 OIL WELL PUMP Ralph R. Renouf, Los Angeles, and Frank E. Mason, South Gate, Oalif., assignors to Emsco Derrick & Equipment Company, Los Angelea, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 23, 1945, Serial No. 584,430

14 Claims.

Our invention relates to an improvement in reciprocating pumps employed in oil wells to pump oil therefrom, and relates in particular to an improved plunger pump and tubing arrangement wherein the diameter of the pump plunger is considerably larger than the diameter of the opening through the tubing.

It is necessary to periodically remove oil well pumps from the wells in which they operate in order to repair or replace worn parts. Where the pump employed is larger in diameter than the tubing by which it is supported, it is necessary in order to remove the pump from the well to pull the string of tubing, having the pump attached to the lower end thereof, to the top of the well. In doing this a number of diillculties have been encountered. At the end of a pumping period the tubing is full of oil, and unless this oil is drained from the tubing before it is removed from the well, there will be what is known as a wet job, involving the spilling of large quantities of oil in the derrick. In order to avoid this condition, a number of different types of bleeders have been employed, which have not been found to be entirely satisfactory. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple pump structure employing a large diameter pump on small diameter tubing having simple and effective means whereby the oil may be drained from the tubing and from the pump before or during the lifting of the tubing, so that as the tubing is removed from the well it will be in a condition known as dry, and spillage of oil upon the derrick floor will be avoided.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pumping structure having a tubular extension projecting upwardly from the working barrel of the pump, this tubular extension being so formed as to provide a space into which the pump plunger ma be raised so as to be out of the working barrel and so as to provide a passage or passages through which the oil may flow downward around the exterior of the raised pump plunger. The invention provides simple means for opening the lower end of the pump so that oil may flow therethrough, and for holding the plunger in its position raised within the tubular extension, so that oil may freely drain from the tubing and the pump proper during the lifting of the tubing and the pump in the well.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pump structure of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph having a simple form of hanger for supporting the plunger in a raised position above the working barrel and also having and of greater length than the barrel H.

means for lifting the standing valve of the pump from its seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple attachments which may be applied to many existing pumps so that they may be used with tubing of internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the pump plunger. v

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following part of the specification which describes a preferred form of the invention.

Referring tothe drawing which is for illustra-' tive purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the pump structure with the parts thereof disposed for normal pumping operation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the pump structure raised from the working barrel and the standing valve lifted from its seat.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The pump structure includes a pump body l0 having a working barrel H and a standing valve I! supported by a seat It. Extending upward from the barrel ii there is a tubular extension I of larger internal diameter than the barrel H A plunger I5 is operative within the barrel II, this plunger I! having the customary working valve is. A short rod l1 extends upward to a body I8 which forms a, first locking part for cooperating with other parts to hold the plunger, I5 in the raised position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. This body I 8 has projecting lugs IS. A rod 20, connected to the upper part of the body I8, extends upwardly therefrom through a hanger member 2| to an attachment device 22 for connecting the rod 20 to the lower end of a strin of sucker rods 23, which is employed to transmit movement to the-plunger [5. For example, by reciprocation of the string of sucker rods 23. the plunger l5 may be caused to reciprocate within the working barrrel II and perform the normal pumping operation, or by lifting on the sucker rods 23, the plunger It may be raised into the tubular extension l4.

The hanger member 2| comprises a sleeve 24 which is threaded onto the upper end of the tubular extension I and has internal threads 25 at its upper end to receive the external threads 26 of a tubular hanger body 21 which is internally threaded at 28 to receive the lower end 29 of a string of tubing having an internal diameter less than the external diameter of the plunger [5, so that it is not possible to pull the plunger l5 through the tubing 30. The hangerbody 21 has an internal cylindrie wall or skirt 3| having diametrally opposed slots 32 extending upward from the lower end thereof, the upper portions 33 of these slots 32 bending laterally and leading into pockets or depressions 34 to receive the lugs or projections I 9 of the body I8. The projections I9 provide downwardly faced shoulders to engage the upwardly faced shoulders 35 comprising the bottoms of the depressions 34, whereby the pump plunger I may be supported and locked in the raised position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the wall 3| of the hanger body 21 is formed so as to provide sloping faces 35 to guide the projections I9 into the slots 32.

In the pump structure we provide standing valve lifting means 31, whereby the standing valve I2 may be picked up from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 and raised with the plunger I5 into the position in which the standing valve I2 is shown in Fig'. 2. There are a number of standing valve pullers or lifters now available in the oil pumping industry which may be used between the plunger I5 and the standing valve I2 to lift the standing valve I2. Preferred however in the practice of the invention is the standing valve puller shown in the application of Ralph R. Renouf, Serial No. 523,243, filed February 21, 1944, for Standing valve puller, which provides an upwardly projecting bar 38 for the standing valve I2, having a T head 39 adapted to enter a hollow pick-up element 40 which is connected to the lower end of the plunger I5, when the plunger is lowered from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, this T head 39 being engaged as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the plunger I5 is lifted, the standing valve I2 will be pulled from the seat I3 and lifted with the plunger I5 into the tubular extension I4.

The attachment 22 is a device for connecting and disconnecting the sucker rods to or from the plunger 15 while the pump structure is in the well. The one we have shown for this purpose, is known to the trade as The OBannon On and Off Device, and consists of a lower body M which is screwed onto the upper end of the rod 20 and an upper body which is screwed onto the lower end of the string of sucker rods 23. The lower body 4| has an upwardly projecting threaded stem 43, and the upper body 42 comprises an internally threaded sleeve to receive the threaded stem 43. The threads of the stem 43 and of the upper body 42 are ordinarily right hand so that by application of left hand torque to the upper end of the string of sucker rods 23, the upper part 42 may be unscrewed from the lower part II, permitting the string of sucker rods to be lifted independently through the tubing 29. The tubular extension I4 consists of a length of standard pipe which may be readily connected to the upper end of many standard pumps. The hanger member 2I is so formed that it may be readily connected to the upper end of the tubular extension I4 so as to serve as a means for connecting the lower end of the string of tubing 29 to the tubular extension I4 and therefore to the pump proper.

The operation of the pump structure when it is desired to pull the pump from the well, is as follows. The plunger I5 is first lowered from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 so as to cause the pick-up element 40 to engage the T head 39 associated with the standing valve I2. The

sucker rod string is then pulled up so as to lift the body l9 into such position that the projections I9 thereof will engage the hanger body 21. The sloping walls 36 guide the projections I9 into the slots 32 and when the upper ends of the slots 32 are reached, a clockwise rotation applied to the string of sucker rods 23 will bring the projections I9 into alignment with the depressions 34, so that when the string of sucker rods is now lowered, the projections I9 will pass downward into the depressions or recesses 84 and rest against the bottoms 35 thereof, supporting or hanging the pump plunger I5 and the standing valve I2 in raised position within the tubular extension I4. When the plunger I5 and the standing valve I2 are in the positions thereof shown in Fig. 2, oil may flow freely downward from the interior of the tubing 29 around the exterior of the plunger I5 and the exterior of the standing valve, and then through the barrel II and the opening provided by the standing valve seat I3 to the exterior.

After the plunger I5 and the standing valve I2 are thus hung in raised position as shown in Fig. 2, the string of sucker rods 23 may be disconnected from the pump plunger by unscrewing the attachment 22, enabling the pulling of the sucker rod string prior to the pulling of the tubing and pump from the well. Now, as the tubing 29 is lifted from the well, 011 may continue to drain therefrom, so that as the sections of tubing are unscrewed at the top of the well, they will be comparatively dry.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of: a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger raised into said extension during the time the tubing and the pump are being raised from the well.

2. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of: a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward fromsaid barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means connected with said plunger and disconnectable therefrom so that it may be removed from said string of tubing prior to the time the tubing and pump are being raised from the well, said sucker rod means being adapted to operate said plunger in said working barrel and to lift said plunger into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger raised into said extension.

3. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of: a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means removably connected with said plunger, said means being adapted to operate said plunger in said working barrel and to lift said plunger into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; and hanger means comprising cooperating parts connected to said plunger and to said extension for holding said plunger raised into said extension.

4. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; a first locking member connected to the upper end of said plunger, said member having a downwardly faced shoulder; and a second looking member fixed in a position elevated from the lower end of said tubular extension, said second locking member having an upwardly faced shoulder for engagement by said downwardly faced shoulder of said first locking member, whereby said plunger may be held in a raised position in said tubular extension.

5. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of: a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative'between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension, the lower portion of the sucker rod means being disconnectable from the plunger, whereby said sucker rod means may be lifted independently from said tubing; a first locking member connected to the upper end of said plunger, said member having a downwardly faced shoulder; and a second locking member fixed in a position elevated from the lower end of said tubular extension, said second locking member having an upwardly facedshoulder for engagement by said downwardly faced shoulder of said first locking member, whereby said plunger may be held in a raised position in said tubular extension.

6. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of: a working barrel; a tubular extension pro- Jecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operating in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into said tubular extension, there being 9, space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; a locking body connected to the upper portion of said plunger, said body having a laterally projecting shoulder member; a tubular locking part at the upper end of said tubular extension, said locking part having an upwardly faced shoulder member to be engaged by said shoulder member of said body whereby said plunger may be supported in a position raised into said tubular extension; and disconnectable, means for connecting the lower. end of said sucker rod means to said locking body whereby movement of said sucker rod means will be imparted to said plunger and the parts connected thereto.

7. In a pump structure of the character described, adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of tubing in a well, the combination of z a working barrel; a tubular-extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunger operative in said barrel; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into. said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; a locking body connected to the upper portion of said plunger, said body having 9. laterally projecting shoulder member; a sleeve threaded to the upper end of said tubular extension; a tubular hanger body threaded to the upper part of said sleeve, said hanger body having an arcuate wall formed so as to define an upwardly faced depression and a slot for leading said shoulder member of said locking body into said depression whereby said plunger may be supported in a position raised into said tubular extension; and disconnectable means for connecting the lower end of said sucker rod meansto said locking body whereby movement of said sucker rod means will be imparted to said plunger and the parts connected thereto.

8. In a pump structure for use in a well, the combination of a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; a plunge! operative in said barrel; a string of tubing extending from said tubular extension to the top of the well, said tubing being of internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of said plunger; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and ,said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating. said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting saidpl'u'nger'" into said tubular extension, there being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it I is raised into said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger raised into said extension, said sucker rod means being detachable from said plunger whereby it may be removed prior to the time the 7 from said string of tubing being raised from the tubing and the pump are well.

9. In a pump structure for use in a well, the combination of a working barrel; a tubular extension projecting upward from said barrel; a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel: a plunger operative in said barrel; a string of tubing extending from said tubular extension to the top of the well, said tubing being of internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of said plunger; standing valve lifting means operative between said plunger and said standing valve whereby said standing valve may be lifted; sucker rod means for operating said plunger in said working barrel and for lifting said plunger into said tubular extension, there'being a space provided by said tubular extension through which liquid may flow down past said plunger when it is raised-into said tubular extension; a locking body connected to the upper portion of said plunger, said body having a laterally projecting shoulder member; a sleeve threaded to the upper end of said tubular extension; a tubular hanger body threaded to the upper part of said sleeve, said hanger body having an a slot for leading said shoulder member of said' locking body into said depression whereby said, plunger may be supported in a position raised into said tubular extension; and disconnectable means for connecting the lower end of said sucker rod means to said locking body whereby movement of said sucker rod means will be imparted to said plunger and the parts connected thereto.

10. Attachment for a pump structure of the character described having a working barrel and plunger of larger diameter than the tubing by which it is supported in the well, a tubular extension extending upward from the working barrel, a standing valve, and means for opening the standing valve for draining oil from the lower end of the working barrel, the combination of: a locking body for connection to the upper portion of said plunger, said body having a laterally projecting shoulder member; a tubular locking part for connection to the upper end of said tubular extension, said locking part having an upwardly faced shoulder member to be engaged by said shoulder member of said body whereby said plunger may be supported in a position raised into said tubular extension; and discomnectable means for connecting the lower end of said sucker rod means to said locking body whereby movement of be imparted to said plunger and the parts con nected thereto. I

11. Attachment for a pump structure ofthe character described having a working barrel and plunger of larger diameter than the tubing by which it is supported in the well, a tubular extension extending upward from the working barrel, a standing valve, and means for opening the standing valve for draining oil from the lower end of the working barrel, the combination of: a locking body for connection to the upp r portion of said plunger, said body having a laterally projecting shoulder member; a sleeve threaded to said sucker rod means will" crating the plunger arcuate well formed so as to define an upwardly faced depression and the upper end of said tubular extension; a tubular hanger body threaded to the upper part of said sleeve, said hanger body having an arcuate wall formed so as to define an upwardly faced depression and a slot for leading said shoulder member of said locking body into said depression whereby said plunger may be supported in a position raised into said tubular extension; and disconnectable means for connecting the lower end of said sucker rod means to said locking body whereby movement of said suclrer rod means will be imparted to said plunger and the parts connected thereto.

12. In a pump structure adapted to be connected to a string of tubing in a well and having a working barrel, a plunger operable therein, a tubular extension projecting from said barrel, and a standing valve at one end of said barrel: means adapted to connect the standing valve and the plunger for lifting saidvalve; means for opin the working barrel, said means being adapted to move said plunger into the tubular extension, there being space provided through which liquid may flow past the plunger when it is moved into said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger in said extension during the time the tubing and the pump are being removed from the well.

I 13. In a pump structure adapted to be connected to a string of tubing in a well and having a working barrel, 9. plunger operable therein, a tubular extension projecting from said barrel, and a standing valve supported by a seat adjacent one end of said barrel: means adapted to land the pump are being connect the standing valve and the plunger for removing said valve from said seat; means for operating the plunger in the working barrel, said means being adapted to move said plunger into the tubular extension, there being space provided through which liquid may flow past said plunger when it is disposed in said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger in said extension.

14. In a pump structure adapted to be'connected to a string of tubing in a well and having a working barrel, a plunger operable therein, a tubular extension projecting from said barrel, and a standing valve at the lower end of said barrel; means adapted to connect the standing valve to the plunger for lifting said valve; means .for operating the plunger in said working barrel, said means being adapted to lift the plunge;- into the tubular extension, there being a space pro- ,vided through which liquid may flow past said plunger when it is raised into said tubular extension; and means for holding said plunger in said raised position during. the time the tubing removed from the well. RALPH R. RENOUF. FRANK E. MASON.

unanimous orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 4 2,162,001 

